Autumn in Atlanta is the most exhilarating time of the year for me.  The lower humidity, cooler days, and nights with a slight crispness in the air are like a magnet pulling me outside. The first yellow leaves are gently blowing across the yard and have me thinking about orange pumpkins and amber cider. In the next several weeks, we will be surrounded with a symphony of changing colors.  What better way to bring that “music” into our homes than by taking nature’s cue on the color palette?   The bright whites and riot of almost fluorescent, candy like hues of summer are fading.  Now is the …

You may still have another beach trip planned for the summer season, but the retailers are only weeks away from displaying their holiday decorations.Thanksgiving is only four months away, which means this is the perfect time to start tweaking the house for your holiday guests and entertaining.    This is the time that designers, workrooms, and renovation teams get really busy on all those projects their clients’ want finished before the holidays. Maybe you want a kitchen remodel before tackling all the gastronomical wonders in your culinary repertoire; or remember your oath to add a new …

Ahhh... the sound of the waves; the smell of the ocean air; the warm, comforting breezes. Life at the beach is heavenly. But you don’t have to live near the ocean to enjoy a relaxing beach atmosphere in your home. Try these easy decorating ideas to transform your living space into a retreat that you can enjoy all summer long! Choose light, gauzy drapery panels for the windows, and make sure you install them at least a few inches above the window frames. Soft, sheer, flowing panels give the impression of gentle breezes with lots of sunlight entering your room. There is nothing more “beachy” …

Everyday, I receive multiple design related articles and advertisements via email. One I received recently was from a cabinetmaker in the UK showcasing under stair storage cabinets he is custom building. Unfortunately, I permanently deleted his email, but I have found other similar examples that show us just how useful that often-dead space can be. As I sought pictures of such storage, I was reminded of the Japanese Tansu Stair Storage dating back several centuries. In those days, stair-stepped storage units were built, usually as three separate components. When pushed together, the …

By now, most of us have noticed the influx of fashions and home décor items in the Pantone Color of 2012, Tangerine Tango. According to Pantone, this zesty red-orangey color “will provide the energy boost we need to recharge, move forward, and burn up any of the fog from the gloomy economy. "Being a spirited reddish-orange it is sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive. It reminds us of a glorious sunset, which will instantly melt everyone’s hearts. Tangerine combines the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red, with the friendliness and warmth of yellow.”    The psychology…

Le Corbusier, one of the most influential architects of the 20th century wrote: “The home should be the treasure chest for living.” He also wrote: “A house is a machine for living in.”  While not referring to Universal Design, the two comments are quite apropos for the subject. Universally designed homes can easily be likened to a fine tuned machine or a treasure chest of features to remove barriers in our lives.  These are well-planned spaces that allow people of various ages, and physical challenges to live more comfortably. On more than one occasion over the last 20 years, I have …

  Having recently lost two family members that were very dear to me, I have renewed my appreciation for family photographs. Like most families, we have boxes of photos tucked away that are rarely seen. Through the loss of loved ones, we have rediscovered photos that we want to display. We have all seen examples of photographs splashed over the walls or around the house as if just to fill a void.  With just a little thought and planning, these photos can have a far more decorative impact and still tell a story that brings us smiles every day.  When displaying smaller framed photos, think about…

  At some time or another, most of us get an itch to redesign a room in our home.  This can be very overwhelming and stressful for many.  “What do I want to do?”  “Where do I start?”  Often, homeowners buy a new sofa or paint the room on impulse and then try to make it work. This causes more stress and may prohibit you from achieving that “put together” look you were hoping for. So what do you do? For a truly harmonious design, you need a design inspiration that guides you to create your own look.  Look for something that gives you a feeling that you want in your own room. Look in magazines …

  You have recently found the perfect sofa and the delivery truck is backing into the driveway now! You anxiously wait for the deliverymen to leave so you can start tweaking the room.  The door barely closes when you are struck with the overwhelming feeling that they delivered the wrong piece. It looks the same, but seems so much larger than the one you purchased.  Suddenly, your room looks half the size it was, and there is no room for the coffee table or end tables. This is a common scenario and can be a costly mistake.  Furniture showrooms are huge and have high ceilings that make the …

  Recently, a friend asked for some quick and easy tips for decorating her table and buffet for holiday parties. Gather those bud vases, candlesticks, footed bowls, pretty creamers and sugar bowls in a mix of heights and use an odd number. It’s OK to mix materials.  Set an ornament on top of each (a group of ornaments in the bowl).  The ornaments could all be matching, or a combo of shiny and matte finishes in the same hue.  (You can use Tacky Wax to secure ornaments in vessels.)  Group the vessels together.  For added impact choose one or more of the following: place on a mirror or mirrored …